Pneumatic-despatch apparatus.



P. R. TAISEY. PNBUMATIG DESPATGH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1906.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Elli] I Fred RTais-e;

.Mmmm u, GRAHAM Cm wommmsruvnsns. wAsnNGNH. D. c.

F. R. TA'ISBY.

PNEUMATIG DBSPATCH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1906.

Patented OC). 5, 1909. 2 sHBETs-snnm 2.

mmm. a, mum om Prwmumocmvnsns, wnswnamn, n. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

FRED R. TAISEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSONCONSOLI- DATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED R. TAIsEY, of Indianapolis, county of Marion,and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and usefulPneumatic-Despatch Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which like parts.

This invention relates to means for permitting the discharge of apneumatic despatch carrier at any selected one of a plurality ofterminals, the selection of such terminals being automatically made bythe carriers.

One object of this invention is to provide a device extending across adischarge opening in a terminal section of pneumatic despatch apparatusand means for holding said device closed and preventing its being openedexcepting by a carrier having a certain form and then permitting saiddevice to be opened by the impact of the carrier. In other words, theconstruction is such as to prevent or permit said device to be opened asdesired, according to the form or character of the carriers.

Another feature of the invent-ion consists in providing means to preventthe interference of carriers while in transit through the apparatus andto prevent any carrier from discharging at the same terminal as anothercarrier or at the wrong terminal.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing means which willobstruct the passageway through a terminal and prevent a carrier frompassing beyond said terminal, such means being so constructed as to becontrolled and released by any carrier which should pass beyond saidterminal; and also in combining therewith means for preventing onecarrier from following another while said guiding means is operated.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanyingdrawing and the following description and claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a terminal section and associatedportions of the despatch apparatus that lead to and from said terminal,and also a side elevation of a portion of a table and basket to receivecarriers from said terminal, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a bottomview, in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, of a terminal with thelike numerals refer to' discharge valve broken away. Fig. 3 is a centralvert-ical longitudinal section of the terminal, showing the insideelevation of one of the halves that go to make up the terminal sectionof the apparatus and show-` ing the parts in their normal position. Fig.4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the device that extendsacross the discharge opening of the terminal, one side thereof beingbroken away. Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 3 showing, however, a carrierpassing through and out of the terminal section and a portion of thesucceeding carrier stopped while entering said terminal section, and theparts arranged to permit such operation, the stopped carrier beingbroken away and the advancing end of the foremost carrier being shown bydotted lines in position for actuating and opening the guide to permitsaid carrier to pass on through the despatch tube. Fig. 6 is the samewith the order of the carriers reversed and with one carrier issuing'through the discharge opening of the terminal section, and the parts ofsaid terminal section being in their actuated position at such time.Fig. 7 is an elevation of a despatch tube with portions thereof insection, showing a plurality of terminal sections and carrier inlets.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a pneumatic despatch apparatus through which itis customary to draw air for the propulsion of cash carriers and thelike. As there shown the apparatus consists of a straight portion orsection 10 of a despatch tube into the lower end of which air is drawn.The entrance to said tube is at the central station where carriers areintroduced int-o the tube. At the upper end of said straight portion orsection there is secured a semicircular portion 11, and to the latter areversely curved portion or section 12 that is usually called aterminal. An outgoing portion 13 of the despatch tube leads from saidterminal 12 to another portion 11 and terminal 14. An outgoing portionor section of the tube 15 leads from said terminal 14k back to thecentral station. The inlet at the central station is marked 1G and theoutlet thereofl. The portion 18 of the despatch tube leads to apneumatic apparatus. Near each terminal there is an inlet 19 for theinsertion of a carrier. 12 and 14 and their continuing tubes 13 and 15are reversely curved or concavo-convex,

It is observed that the terminals I and each is provided with adischarge opening at 2O located upon the convex side thereof, saiddischarge opening being closed by the usual. leather valve or clapper21. The discharge openings are arranged so that the valve 2l, whichextends across said opening, lies at an obtuse angle to the direction oftravel of a carrier at the point in said terminal immediately in advanceof said opening' and parallel to that portion of the passageway throughthe terminal opposite to which it is located. Referring now to theterminals 12 and 14, it is observed that they are provided internallywith different mechanism, in fact the terminal 1-1 is devoid ofmechanism, for that is a final terminal or the last terminal in aseries, and as this apparatus is constructed, only one carrier, 25,reaches that terminal, and it engages the valve 21 directly and opens itand issues from the terminal. A differently formed carrier 26 isdischarged at the first terminal 12, by the mechanism therein found, andthe mechanism in such terminal is such as to prevent the discharge atthat point of the other carrier 25. Hence, the first terminal 12 isprovided with means for preventing the carrier 25 from discharging atthat point and permitting it to pass on to the final terminal 14;, andalso with means controlled by the carrier 26. for permitting itsdischarge at the first terminal. Hence, the device is automatic andcontrolled by carriers differing in form or selecting devices.

The carrier 26 shown herein is of simple ordinary form with a plain flathead 27, while the carrier 25 has a central projection 28 from said head27. wish to be limited to any particular form or construction ofcarriers to provide selecting devices, but any form of selecting devicemay be provided in the construction of the carriers or any addition tothe carriers, such as is well known tothose skilled in the art.

The means, however, in the first terminal forregulatingV the passage ofthe carriers out of or through it, are in the drawings so formed asto-be operated and controlled by carriers having the particular formshown and described herein.

To prevent the carrier 25 orany undesired carrier from discharging atthe first terminal 12 there is a device 30 provided that extends acrossthe discharge opening of said terminal. It not only prevents the escapeof the carrier 25 but deiiects it so that it may passA ony through thedespatch tube. This device 30 is herein shown to be independent of thevalve or clapper 21 and just within it, and it is formed of two parallelbars secured together or integral with a space between them, and saiddevice is pivoted to the wall of the terminal section by the pivot 31,and is held in a closed position normally by a spring 32. It is stoppedin its closing move- However, I do notL ment by the free end thereofengaging stops 33 on the terminal section. lVhen closed this device 3()is substantiallyA parallel to that portion of the passageway through theterminal opposite which it is located, and lies at an obtuse angle tothat portion of the terminal immediately in advance thereof and at anobtuse angle to the direction of travel of the carrier, so that itdeflects and occasions the passage of the carrier through the terminaland into the outgoing portion 13 of the despatch tube as it is engagedby said carrier. In order to enable said device 30 to deflect thecarrier 25 through the terminal and into the outgoing portion 13 of thedespatch tube there is provided a catch for holding said device closeduntil it is released by the carrier 26, or a carrier so formed as to.release it, and then such carrier comes into direct and immediateengagement with said device and forces it and the valve 2'1 open andissues from the terminal, as shownv in Fig. 6. But said catch must besol arranged and the carrier 25 so formed that said carrier cannotrelease said catch, and then the carrier will be deiected on through theterminal, as shown in Fig. 5.

The means for vholding the device 3() closed may be in various forms,but that herein shown consists of a catch 35 formed much like abell-crank lever and lying with the elbow thereof between the bars orsides constituting the device 30 and pivoted to said device 30. by apivot pin 36. The upper end of said catch 35 has a hook 37 that engagesa lug 38 extending inward from the surface of the terminal 12. The lowerside of the hook 37 is rectangular and flat, while the upper side isbeveled so that after the catch has been disengaged from the lug 38 andwhile the device 30 is returned to its closed position, the beveledportion of the hook 3:7 will cause it to pass by and to a point abovesaid lug 38, whereupon the spring 39 draws said catch into` engagementwithsaid lug 38. The spring 39 is connected with the catch 35 at one endand at the other end with the device 30 near its A pivotal point. Theaction of the spring 39 and catch 35 is stopped by a stop lO, which isthe wall at the end of the slot between the sides or portions of thedevice 30. The other end of the catch 35 has a projection 43 whichextends into the path of the carrier 26 or any carrier which is notdeflected by the device 30 before the catch is operated. That is, theprojection 43 of the catch 35 extends beyond the line 41 or anycontinuation thereof. It also extends slightly above the surface of thedevice 30 so as to be engaged by a carrier having a flat head 27, asrthe carrier 26, before said carrier engages the device 30. Therefore,when a carrier, like 2.6, with a fiat head enters the terwill engage theprojection 43 of the catch and release said catch from the lug 38, andthen the carrier headL directly engages the device 30 and swings it openinto the position shown in FiO. G and is discharged through the opening'of the terminal into the basket 44 on the table 45, which appears inFig. 1. After the discharge of the carrier, the spring 3Q returns thedevice 30 to its closed position, and it is held in the closed positionby the catch 35. Vhen, however, a carrier is formed as shown in thecarrier 25, with a projection QS, said projection 23 on the carrier willengage the device 30, or some part connected therewith, without engagingthe projection 43 of the catch 35 and.l therefore, without. releasingsaid catch and the device 30. In that event the head of the carrier isdeflected by said device, as appears in dotted lines and full lines inFig. 5, and the carrier passes on to the next terminal.

To prevent a collision of carriers, or rather to prevent the wrongcarrier from discharging at the terminal l2, means is provided forstopping such carrier 25 if it enters the terminal while the device 30is open. as shown in Fig. G. This means consists of a stop-trip 45 inthe form of a lever fulcrumed on a pin 4G in the wall of the terminal12, and having a head 47 that projects into the path of the carrier whensaid trip is actuated by the device 30 while the latter is opening. Thepivoted end of the device 30 has a cam projection 48 that engages an arm49 from the trip 45 as the device 30 is being moved to its openposition, and that throws the head of the stoptrip 45 into position tostop the carrier. A stop pin 50 in the wall of the carrier 12 limits theinward movement of the stop-trip When the device 30 closes, a spring 51returns the stop trip 45 to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 5.

To render the device perfectly successful in its operation so that on nooccasion will the carrier 2G fail to be discharged from the terminal 12,I provide in said terminal a guide consisting of a bar pivoted at itsupper end on a pin 56 in the wall of the terminal 12 and with its lowerend somewhat turned backward and t-he free end thereof made small so asto catch under the head of the small catch 57 that is pivoted at 5S tothe terminal, and is held in engagement with the guide by a spring 59.This will prevent the advancing end of the carrier 26 from strikingagainst the portion of the terminal 12 where the catch 57 is mounted,and will cause it to pass always out through the discharge opening. Butmechanism must be provided for releasing the guide 57 when the othercarrier 25 is in use, and such means must be controlled by said carrier25. The means for accomplishing this consists of atrip lever GO pivotedon a pin G1 in the device 30, said trip lever lying in the slot or spacebetween the sides of said device 30, and having one end (32 extendingbeyond the free end of the device 3 0 in position to engage and lienormally immediately under the portion 63 of the catch 57 when thedevice 30 is closed. The actuating end of the trip lever GO is held by aspring 64 normally slightly above the upper surface of the device 30 sothat the projection 28 on the head of the carrier will engage it andactuate it before the head 27 can come into contact with the projection43 on the catch 35. The prior actuation of the trip lever 60 disengagesthe catch 57 from the free end of the guide 55 so that it is thrown openupward against a rubber buffer 65, as seen in Fig. 5, and the carrier 25passes on. As soon as it has passed, gravity and a spring G6 causes thereturn of the guide to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, where itmoves under the head of the catch 57. Therefore, it is seen that thedevice 30 deflects the carrier 25, and the projection 98 on the head ofthe carrier releases the guide and permits the carrier to pass, and thisis done without the carrier releasing the catch 35 and without releasingthe device 30.

To prevent the carrier 2G or any other carrier improperly following thecarrier 25 while the guide 55 is in its open position, a stop-trip (57is pivoted on a pin G8 in the wall of the terminal 12, and the arm (39on the end of the guide 55 engages an arm 169 on the stop-trip 67 andforces the upper end thereof into the path of the carrier QG and againstthe stop pin 70, as appears in Fig. 5. Then the guide 55 returns to itsclosed position, a spring 71 returns the stoptrip 67 to its normalposition, as shown in Fig. 3.

A perforated fixed guiding wall SO is provided in the tube at filialcarrier dis- -charging points.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pneumatic despatch apparatus having a discharge terminal, means forselectively controlling the discharge of carriers therefrom, a stop-trippivoted between its end to the terminal, one end of said ytrip beingactuated by t-he opening movement of said carrier discharge controllingmeans, whereby the other end of said trip will project into the path ofthe carriers for stopping the same, and a stop for limiting the inwardmovement of said trip.

2. A pneumatic despatch apparatus having a plurality of dischargeterminals, means for selectively controlling the discharge of carrierstherefrom that extends across the discharge opening in the firstterminal for selectively controlling the discharge of carrierstherefrom, means for holding said discharge closing means normallyclosed, differently formed carriers, a guide pivotally mounted in thefirst terminal for directing one form of carriers through the dischargeopening thereof, a catch thatnormally engages and holds said guide inits guiding position, a trip on said carrier discharge controlling meansthat is adapted to be engaged by another form of carrier for releasingsaid catch and guide so that said last-named carrier may pass on.

3. A pneumatic despatch apparatus having a plurality of dischargeterminals, differently formed carriers, pivoted means for selectivelycontrolling the discharge of carriers that. extends across the openingin the hrst terminal for closing the same, means controlled by one formof said carriers for holding and releasing said carrier dischargecontrolling means, a movable guide for directing a carrier through thedischarge opening of said lirst terminal, and means controlled byanother form of carrier for holding and releasing said guide to permitsaid last-mentioned carrier to pass on.

4. A pneumatic despatch apparatus having a plurality o-f dischargeterminals, means for selectively controlling the discharge of carrierstherefrom that extends across the opening' in the first terminal fornormally closing said opening, differently formed carriers, meanscontrolled by one form of said carriers for releasing said carrierdischarge controlling means and permitting the exit of said carriers, aguide held normally stationary for directing said carrier in its exit,and means mounted on said carrier discharge cont-rolling means that iscontrollable by another form of carrier for releasing said guide topermit said last-mentioned carrier to pass on.

5. A penuinatic despatch apparatus having a terminal, differently formedcarriers, a carrier controlled guide for directing the exit of one formof carrier, means for selectively cont-rolling the discharge of carriersthat releases said guide to permit another form of carrier to pass on,and means actuated by the opening movement of said guide for stoppingthe following carrier while said guide is in an open position.

6. A pneumatic despatch apparatus having a plurality of terminals, meansfor selectively controlling the discharge of carriers therefrom thatextends across the opening in the first terminal for normally closingthe same, differently formed carriers, means releasable by one form ofsaid carriers for holding said carrier discharge controlling meansclosed, a pivoted guide for directing the exit of said iirst-mentionedcarrier, means actuated on said carrier discharge controlling means thatis controlled by another form of carrier for releasing said guide topermit said last-mentioned carrier to p-ass on, and means actuated bysaid guide while opening for stopping the following carrier.

In .witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of the witnesses herein named. Y

FRED R. TAISEY.

lVitnesses HELEN B. MCCORD, N. ALLEMONG.

